My Latest Meet-up With Fellow Blogger, Sherri Matthews

Last week I had one of my regular meet-ups with my dear friend Sherri Matthews, who blogs at A View From My Summerhouse. As many of you know, Sherri and I both live in the south of England, but 150 miles apart from each other; however, I’m very fortunate that her two grown-up sons live in my neck of the woods and she visits them as often as she can.

To my delight, apart from our usual pub lunch, this time I was able to share one of my favourite walks with her — Cuckmere Valley and Estuary — the beauty of which I’ve celebrated many times in haiku and tanka verse.

My first get-together with Sherri was back in June 2015, when we met for lunch and discovered that we could do more talking in a few hours than some people do in a week! Not only was Sherri the warm, caring, and sincere person I expected her to be, but I found she shared my quirky humour and eccentricity, too. So how could we end up as anything other than good friends?

Of course we have writing in common also, and I think she’d agree that we support and encourage each other through the highs and lows of completing our projects. Sherri is working on the final draft of her memoir Stranger in a White Dress and, by now, most of my followers know that I write offbeat novels.

Sherri twice contributed to my monthly guest storyteller slot that I ran for a little over three years. On both occasions, she managed to delight readers with some flash-fictionalised seasonal memoir — ‘Chocolate Umbrella’ and ‘A Blue Coat for Christmas’.

I look forward to my next meet-up with Sherri, when I plan to share another of my favourite walks by the sea, which includes the site of archeological interest mentioned earlier this week in my tanka poem about a crow.

Has anyone else a story to tell about real-life friendships they’ve made through blogging?

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Author: Sarah Potter Writes

Sarah is a British eccentric who writes offbeat fiction, haiku and tanka poetry. She's into nature, gardening, and natural health. Her sociability is something that happens in short bursts with long breathing spaces in between.
View all posts by Sarah Potter Writes

That’s a great pic of you two…love the smiles. How wonderful you could meet up. I’ve only been able to meet two online writer friends over the years, and that’s a shame. Hoping that changes in the next few years while I’m still able to get around and visit others.

I’m glad you love our smiles, dear Bill 🙂 You could Skype with some of your online writer friends. I have regular group Skyping get-togethers with two of my blogging friends from over the Pond, one in the US and one in Canada.

Wishing you a great weekend. By the way, I can hear the first rumbles of thunder in the distance. Is our heatwave finally going to break?

Well Sarah apart from the fact everyone laughs at me cos I am a party animal who never knows where their mobile is ever–my family especially – I am also a mountain climber and the reason is, the sheer piece yourself together solitude So yeah xxxx

I sometimes lose my mobile in the house and have to ring it from our landline to locate it! I love mountains and hills — anywhere with a view, clean air and not too many people. I live at the foot of the South Downs, which is just glorious 🙂

Thank you Shey 🙂 I think that’s the thing, when you’re so much enjoying the solitude and beauty of your surroundings (and in your case, climbing a mountain, yikes!) and just the gorgeous day out with such wonderful people, as dear Sarah, on this beautiful day, you don’t think about taking photos. We had a few laughs getting this one, I am not the world’s best selfie taker, but we got there in the end!! 😀 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I’m terrible at taking selfies. It was ages before I worked out that you could rotate the picture, so I used to try taking them in a mirror and then photoshop them to remove the camera from the picture. What a dumbo! My gravatar picture is a selfie — one taken after I’d given up getting a decent shot of my face!

Dearest Sherri, I’ve never noticed anything extraodinary about your nose! I think your face looks very well in proportion 🙂 I hate my skinny neck in photos and think that I look like a deranged stick insect D: We are never satisfied with ourselves, that’s for sure. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Haha…well, dearest Sarah, that is good to know, thank you! But you, a deranged stick insect? I don’t think so! You are so funny 😀 While I’ve seen a few stick insects in my time, I have yet to find one that is deranged, although I think it highly unlikely that I could tell the difference even if I did, but I am 100% certain that you look absolutely nothing like one, deranged or otherwise! A beautiful photo of you and your beautiful, sunny smile. But indeed, we are never satisfied. When I was growing up, I longed for poker straight, jet black gleaming hair down to my waist. I did not want wavy, blonde hair, no way!!! Have a great week my lovely friend, and keep me posted! If you get the time, I’ve got a short cycling memoir post up from last week, I think you might enjoy reading. And a pick of me on a rather large bicycle – not mine! – peering out from beneath the floppy fringe of said blonde hair 😉 Love & hugs! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dearest Sherri, Your blonde hair is lovely and you wouldn’t look nearly as good with dark hair. I never minded the colour of my hair, but I would have preferred that it didn’t frizz in rain and humidity. It’s a real pain. Especially as I would love to go for a walk in the rain or stand under a waterfall and fully embrace the feeling of that water, rather than always having to wear a hat or hood, if I’m not going to end up looking like Wurzel Gummidge (or however you spell his name)! Love and hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I already knew that you two were friends and, of course, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Sherri several times at the Annual Blogger Bash events. It’s gone on to form many new and wonderful friendships. Meeting blogging friends face to face is a wonderful experience, especially when you watch them all hugging each other. It’s a wonderful community.

It’s good to know your friendship continues Sarah, it’s great you’ve been able to make a good friend in person from blogging – and if you’re going to visit Tidemill next time, I’ll pop along in spirit for a visit 🙂

Dearest Sarah, what an absolutely delightful post. I am thrilled to have met you via blogging – was it really three years ago when we first met? It feels much longer, in the best of ways. You captured the essence of our perfect day, well, perfectly! And I am so excited about going to Tidemill with you next time, I loved your Tanka, which I commented on before coming to this post. So glad we got that selfie in at the last minute…it came out well, after all my faffing! Thank you so much for linking to my memoir blurb and stories, which I so much enjoyed writing for your guest posts. You are such a dear friend. I will link to your wonderful post at the Summerhouse soon. I am beaming from ear to ear and do very time I think of our special, beautiful day, filling me with joy. And likewise, I would say that you are every bit as caring and kind and lovely and sincere as I knew you would be, from the time we first met, and supporting and encouraging one another through our writing ups and downs means the world. Roll on next time! lots of love, hugs and kisses, Sherri 🙂 ❤ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dearest Sherri, now I’m the one grinning from ear to ear at your lovely comment 🙂 I have a feeling that we’ll be friends for life. Yes, roll on for our next meet-up. Lots of love, hugs and kisses, Sarah xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yes, for sure we will, dearest Sarah, I am in doubt of that! I am so so glad we met, you are wonderful…and here’s to you for a wonderful weekend filled with love and laughter and sunshine! And roll on our next meet, but I’ll see you here and elsewhere way before then! Lots of love, hugs and kisses 🙂 ❤ xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx